CBC Wildlife News

Records submitted in the last 14 days, most recent first. Amber indicates local or uncommon, bold red indicates a description is needed for verification at county or national level, green indicates category D (reasonable doubt of natural occurrence) or category E (escapes or non-sustaining introductions).

Mon 02 February 2026

Cley Marshes
07:55 to 09:30
7>5C, E f4, overcast with mist. Visited Bishop's, Skirts, E Bank & Arnold's.

3 Pintail (Brackish) ,

1 Little Egret ,

30 Avocet (Pat's) ,

83 Black-tailed Godwit (Pat's) ,

3 Curlew (Brackish/Arnold's) ,

3 Redshank (Arnold's) ,

2 Ruff (1 sat m, 1 1w f, Pat's) ,

8 Dunlin (Arnold's) ,

1000 Lapwing (at least) ,

2 Marsh Harrier ,

1 Kestrel (E Bank) ,

[David & Pat Wileman]

Sun 01 February 2026

Cley Marshes
16:00 to 16:45
Drizzle

c.1 Merlin (Male) ,

c.1 Barn Owl (Hunting west of beach road) ,

c.30 Snow Bunting (C.30 flew east along beach) ,

c.2 Stonechat (Two on fence of eye field) ,

c.100 Brent Goose (100+ in eye field) ,

[Steve Clark]

Sun 01 February 2026

Blakeney Hbr
15:00 to 17:00
warm, drizzle.

1 Short-eared Owl (hunting) ,

1 Barn Owl (hunting) ,

3760 Lapwing ,

12 Marsh Harrier ,

1 Merlin (1st winter male chasing a skylark) ,

[Paul Laurie]

Sat 31 January 2026

Cley Marshes
09:00 to 14:20
Warm, light SW wind, sunny then clouding over and cooler PM.

15 Great Crested Grebe (on sea) ,

55 Red-throated Diver (20+ on sea, remainder mostly flying east in small groups) ,

c.2 Red Kite (Over Blakeney Freshes and later at least two over main reserve) ,

c.12 Buzzard (Maximum number in the air at one time west of West Bank PM) ,

4 Rock Pipit (Near West Bank Sluice early AM) ,

1 Jack Snipe (Usual bird requiring patience in cut reeds to the left of Bishops Hide. Occassional preening and bobbing) ,

1 Snipe (Cut reeds to left of Bishops Hide and around Pats Pool.) ,

37 Avocet (Pats) ,

22 Black-tailed Godwit (Icelandic) (Pats) ,

4 Moorhen (Catchwater Drain) ,

3 Bearded Tit (East Bank - very vocal but unsighted) ,

2 Stonechat (East Bank) ,

2 Reed Bunting (Pair East Bank) ,

5 Marsh Harrier (Including a male displaying) ,

17 Curlew (West) ,

1 Ruff (Male with a damaged leg off East Bank) ,

1 Great White Egret (Simmonds, alongside a Little Egret and a great size comparison) ,

7 Dunlin (Serpentine) ,

2500 Lapwing (Minimum count of birds around the reserve. Many more ? 5000 Blakeney Freshes) ,

3000 Pink-footed Goose (In fron east and onto Blakeney Freshes) ,

c.2 Little Egret (Simmonds and Serpentine) ,

1 Kingfisher (Briefly from Bishops Hide) ,

1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose (Eye Field with DBBGs) ,

240 Dark-bellied Brent Goose (Eye Field) ,

c.9 Skylark (Song flighting around Eye Field) ,

c.64 Gadwall (Brackish Lagoon) ,

4 Little Grebe (Brackish Lagoon) ,

[David Griffiths]

Fri 30 January 2026

Cley 10Km Square
14:30 to 16:30
murky, low cloud and drizzle.

1 Glossy Ibis (4 pm Flew from Blakeney over West Bank and on to reserve. ) ,

2 Raven (Two flew low over West Bank, calling, and continued over the saltmarsh towards Blakeney Point.) ,

1 Mediterranean Gull (Adult in winter plumage. ) ,

[Paul Laurie]

Fri 30 January 2026

Cley Marshes
08:05 to 09:00
4C, ESE f 4, drizzle & mist (grotty). Visited Bishop's & E Bank

c.5000 Pink-footed Goose (flying over high E) ,

2 Pintail (Brackish) ,

4 Little Grebe (Brackish) ,

35 Avocet (Pat's) ,

48 Black-tailed Godwit (Pat's) ,

1 Curlew (Arnold's) ,

7 Redshank (Arnold's) ,

c.690 Lapwing ,

2 Little Egret ,

2 Marsh Harrier ,

[David & Pat Wileman]

Thu 29 January 2026

Cley Marshes
07:55 to 10:00
4C, ESE f2, cloud/mist. Visited Bishop's, Skirts, E Bank & Arnold's

7570 Pink-footed Goose (flying E during 2 hrs in large flocks. May have missed a few!!) ,

220 Dark-bellied Brent Goose (163 on Pat's, rest flying E) ,

3 Pintail (Arnold's/Brackish) ,

3 Little Grebe (Brackish) ,

2 Little Egret ,

3 Oystercatcher (Arnold's, first here for a while) ,

37 Avocet (Pat's) ,

48 Black-tailed Godwit (Pat's) ,

6 Curlew (Arnold's) ,

9 Redshank ,

550 Lapwing (at least) ,

3 Marsh Harrier ,

[David & Pat Wileman]

Wed 28 January 2026

Wiveton
10:15 to 10:15
Wiveton to Langham road

5 Redwing ,

1 Buzzard ,

[David & Pat Wileman]

Wed 28 January 2026

Cley Marshes
07:55 to 10:05
2-5C, S f2, cloud. Visited Bishop's, Skirts E Bank & Arnold's.

107 Dark-bellied Brent Goose (flying E in small flocks) ,

2 Pintail (Arnold's) ,

4 Little Grebe (Brackish) ,

1 Little Egret (Brackish) ,

2 Cormorant ,

36 Avocet (Pat's) ,

22 Black-tailed Godwit (Pat's) ,

5 Curlew (Arnold's/Brackish) ,

1 Snipe (Richardson's) ,

26 Redshank ,

31 Dunlin ,

2 Ruff (1 ad m, 1 fw m Pat's) ,

717 Lapwing ,

4 Marsh Harrier ,

1 Kestrel ,

1 Little Gull (2cy Pat's) ,

1 Stonechat ,

1 Reed Bunting (E Bank) ,

2 Bearded Tit (off E Bank) ,

[David & Pat Wileman]

Wed 28 January 2026

Blakeney Hbr
07:00 to 10:00
low tide, no wind great light.

3 Glossy Ibis (Three flew over the harbour at 9 am after the local shoot began around the Stiffkey Flood. They flew out over the saltmarsh and then drifted back west. ) ,

2 Long-tailed Duck ,

2 Great Northern Diver ,

9 Goldeneye (four displaying males among the nine ) ,

1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose (adult on mud off middle point) ,

425 Bar-tailed Godwit ,

890 Dark-bellied Brent Goose ,

1 Caspian Gull (adult) ,

12 Red-breasted Merganser ,

1 Great Crested Grebe ,

7 Gadwall ,

4700 Pink-footed Goose (out of roost east or south east. ) ,

56 Sanderling ,

[Paul Laurie]